


To Confess Ones Pain

by Penny_p_Pen



Category: Turn Washington’s Spies
Genre: College Years, Feels, Halemadge, Halemadge Week 2020, M/M, class of 73, halemadge college, historical fiction - Freeform, snuggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26531848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penny_p_Pen/pseuds/Penny_p_Pen
Summary: A cold night brings nightmares for Benjamin.
Relationships: Nathan Hale (1755-1776)/Benjamin Tallmadge
Kudos: 5





	To Confess Ones Pain

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of Halemadge week 2020 and I originally posted this on my tumblr side blog regretless-spy-and-culper-master

As a cold wind rattled the window frame and blew chilly air into the dorm a soft whimper came from the far side of the room. The sound was soft, barely audible but it still caused one of the teens to stir. Nathan rolled over, wrapping the blankets tighter around himself and tried to fall back to sleep. As he was about to the whimper came again, this time slightly louder and more desperate sounding.  
He cracked his eyes open, blinking a few times as they readjusted, “Ben?”  
The whimper came again, “momma.”  
Nathan crept out of bed, keeping his thin blankets wrapped around him and tiptoed over to Ben’s bed. “Ben?”  
Tear filled blue-grey eyes snapped open at the sound of Nathan’s voice. “N-Nathan?” Ben’s voice trembled as it left his throat and it wasn’t just because of the cold room.  
“I’m here Ben.”  
Ben took a few deep breaths as he attempted to push away his nightmare, trying to force on a smile to reassure Nathan he was fine.  
“Ben?”  
He hesitated, “Nathan can you- maybe… I-“  
“Scoot over,” Nathan soothed as he draped his blanket across the bed.  
Ben had gone silent after Nathan laid down next to him. “Nathan you don’t need to stay. I- I’m fine.”  
Nathan interlaced his fingers with Ben’s, “you know you can be honest with me Ben. Whatever it was that saddened you so I will not judge you for it.”  
Ben sighed, his gaze shifting toward the wall where a fragment of moonlight cut across the darkness. “My mother died shortly before I was to start. My father delayed my enrollment, thought I needed to remain with the family. It hurt more being in that house without her. A year or so passed and I started, met you and Enoch. I suppose I thought life was rather pleasant but…”  
“But you still miss her terribly and every moment you realize she is no longer with you the heartache is renewed?”  
“Nathan?”  
“My mother died only a few years ago too. She was more than a mother and a teacher, she was one of my dearest companions.”  
Ben sniffled before daring to snuggle closer to Nathan, “Providence I suppose.”  
“Beg pardon?”  
“Three motherless boys all within a year or so of each other come to the same school, end up as not only roommates but dearest friends. And two of those three boys...”  
Ben hesitated, he didn’t dare admit it, not out loud, not yet.  
He didn’t need to.  
“And two of those boys,” Nathan continued. “Form what they believe to be a bond stronger than friendship. A bond that extends beyond that and into something else.”


End file.
